Judges 15:13
in Judges 15“No,” they answered, “we will not kill you, but we will tie you up securely and hand you over to them.” So they bound him with two new ropes and led him up from the rock.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new ropes, and brought him up from the rock.
KJV
And they spake unto him, saying, No; but we will bind thee fast, and deliver thee into their hand: but surely we will not kill thee. And they bound him with two new cords, and brought him up from the rock.
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This verse in Judges 15
Commentary
10 notes on this verseA commentator
Jamieson, Fausset & Brown1802–1910
Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871)
Then the Philistines went up--to the high land of Judah. and spread themselves in Lehi--now El-Lekieh, abounding with limestone cliffs; the sides of which are perforated with caves. The object of the Philistines in this expedition was to apprehend Samson, in revenge for the great slaughter he had committed on their people.
This site's exposition
three thousand men of Judah
on Judges 15:11-13
The men of Judah state Philistine rule, “the Philistines rule over us”, and ask their own deliverer what he has done to them. Three thousand men come to bind one Israelite, which Albert Barnes reads as men placating their masters. Samson asks only their oath not to kill him themselves.
This site's exposition
they bound him with two new ropes
Ambrose of Milan reads the binding as a formality that let Judah hand Samson over in due form and keep clear of the charge. Adam Clarke takes the two new ropes as one for the hands and one for the legs. Both give way at verse 14.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers1 voice
When they heard this, though three thousand men had come up, they swore to him that they would make no attempt on his life, only he must submit to be bound, in order that they might formally surrender him, and so keep clear of the crime of which they were accused.
The Puritans and the Awakening4 voices
That, by being delivered up to the Philistine, he might have an opportunity of making a slaughter among them. That he might be a type of Christ, who, when he had shown what he could do, in striking those down that came to seize him, yielded to be bound and led as a lamb to the slaughter.
And they bound him - Thus was he a type of Christ, who yielded himself to be bound, yea and led as a lamb to the slaughter. Never were men so besotted as these men of Judah, except those who thus treated our blessed saviour.
And they spake unto him, saying, no,....
And there, in that field, or hill, or plain, or whatever it was, that was so called, God caused a fountain suddenly and seasonably to open just by him, and water to spring up out of it in abundance, which continued a well ever after. Of this fair water he drank, and his spirits revived. We should be more thankful for the mercy of water did we consider how ill we can spare it.
2 more voices on this verse
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Justly is their misery prolonged who, to oblige their worst enemies, thus abuse their best friend. Never were men so infatuated except those who thus treated our blessed Saviour. Samson making his part good against the Philistines, even when he was delivered into their hands, fast pinioned with two new cords.
The Nineteenth Century1 voice
They bound him with two new cords - Probably his hands with one and his legs with the other.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
No! We shall merely tie you down. We shall not execute you, but merely tie you down.
1 more on this passage, in their own words ▾
The spirit of Adonoy. A spirit of power, emanating from Adonoy. 10 This is Targum Yonasan’s translation.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
19 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּ | vaiyomeru | and they said | H559 → | 5305 times |
| ל֣וֹ | lo | to <the> him | ||
| לֵאמֹ֗ר | lemor | <to> saying | H559 → | 5305 times |
| לֹ֚א | lo' | In- | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| כִּֽי־ | ki- | deed | H3588 → | 4482 times |
| אָסֹ֤ר | ʾasor | certainly <to bind> | H631 → | 72 times |
| נֶֽאֱסָרְךָ֙ | neesarekha | we will bind you | H631 → | 72 times |
| וּנְתַנּ֣וּךָ | unetanukha | and we will give you | H5414 → | 2011 times |
| בְיָדָ֔ם | veyadam | in hand their | H3027 → | 1618 times |
| וְהָמֵ֖ת | vehamet | and certainly <to kill> | H4191 → | 839 times |
| לֹ֣א | lo' | not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| נְמִיתֶ֑ךָ | nemitekha | we will kill you | H4191 → | 839 times |
| וַיַּאַסְרֻ֗הוּ | vaiyaasruhu | and they bound him | H631 → | 72 times |
| בִּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙ | bishnayim | with two | H8147 → | 768 times |
| עֲבֹתִ֣ים | ʾavotim | ropes | H5688 → | 24 times |
| חֲדָשִׁ֔ים | chadashim | new | H2319 → | 53 times |
| וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּהוּ | vaiyaaluhu | and they brought up him | H5927 → | 890 times |
| מִן־ | min- | from | H4480 → | 1188 times |
| הַסָּֽלַע׃ | hasala' | the rock | H5553 → | 58 times |
וַיֹּ֧אמְרוּand they said
vaiyomeruH559 →5305 times
ל֣וֹto <the> him
lo
לֵאמֹ֗ר<to> saying
lemorH559 →5305 times
לֹ֚אIn-
lo'H3808 →5168 times
כִּֽי־deed
ki-H3588 →4482 times
אָסֹ֤רcertainly <to bind>
ʾasorH631 →72 times
נֶֽאֱסָרְךָ֙we will bind you
neesarekhaH631 →72 times
וּנְתַנּ֣וּךָand we will give you
unetanukhaH5414 →2011 times
בְיָדָ֔םin hand their
veyadamH3027 →1618 times
וְהָמֵ֖תand certainly <to kill>
vehametH4191 →839 times
לֹ֣אnot
lo'H3808 →5168 times
נְמִיתֶ֑ךָwe will kill you
nemitekhaH4191 →839 times
וַיַּאַסְרֻ֗הוּand they bound him
vaiyaasruhuH631 →72 times
בִּשְׁנַ֙יִם֙with two
bishnayimH8147 →768 times
עֲבֹתִ֣יםropes
ʾavotimH5688 →24 times
חֲדָשִׁ֔יםnew
chadashimH2319 →53 times
וַֽיַּעֲל֖וּהוּand they brought up him
vaiyaaluhuH5927 →890 times
מִן־from
min-H4480 →1188 times
הַסָּֽלַע׃the rock
hasala'H5553 →58 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
Where this verse is studied
On this page
Studies1
About Judges
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes on the Old Testament; Ambrose of Milan, Letter 19: To Vigilius; Jamieson, Fausset & Brown, Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763); John Wesley, Explanatory Notes upon the Old Testament and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.